FERNEY-VOLTAIRE, France, June 23, 2022 – On June 23rd, the United Nations recognized Public Service Day, Public Services International (PSI), a global federation of public service unions located in Ferney Voltaire, France, will launch Behind the Mask, an online interactive documentary experience highlighting the global struggles of healthcare workers on the front lines of COVID-19. The four episodes will be available on https://behindthemask.publicservices.international/
The series focuses on four healthcare workers, in Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Brazil and Tunisia, and shows the impact that political decisions and corruption have had on their ability to provide services for patients under their care. It demonstrates how governments and international institutions have failed to prioritize and invest in quality public health systems, undermining frontline workers across the world.
A health care worker in Zimbabwe organizes a protest for higher wages. She is arrested. Her story explores how political corruption, global debt rules and lack of health funding have created untenable working conditions for her and her colleagues, at the expense of her patients. A nurse in Brazil, Graciete, is collecting worker testimonies to build a legal case against the Bolsonaro government for government complicity and corruption that has cost lives of the citizens. The story of Hassina, a Community Health Worker in Pakistan, explores the crucial role of Community Health Workers in the global health system, and the lack of recognition for their vital work. In Tunisia, Nawfel is a hospital administrator and union member working on planning for a strike to increase health employment and compensation for high hazard work.
PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli said:
“This series makes clear that the brutal conditions faced by frontline workers through this pandemic are the result of intentional choices made by politicians: to underfund our health services, understaff our hospitals and let our public services suffer so a few could profit. It’s time to listen to these health worker voices and choose a different path for the covid-19 recovery; one which puts people and public health over profits.
ABOUT PSI:
Public Services International (https://publicservices.international) is a Global Union Federation of more than 700 trade unions representing 30 million workers in 154 countries. They bring their voices to the UN, ILO, WHO and other regional and global organizations. They defend trade union and workers’ rights and fight for universal access to quality public services.
SOURCE Public Services International
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